Fitting In
by Frederika
Summary: Harry, Ron, and Hermione's sixth year starts off normally. But when a new, very different student arrives, trouble is sure to arise. Everyone seems to want to be around her, supposedly because of her aura. But not every person sees her aura in the same li


Story Title-Fitting In

Chapter Title-Starting Off With a Bang

Summary-Harry, Ron, and Hermione's sixth year starts off normally. But when a new, very different student arrives, trouble is sure to arise. Everyone seems to want to be around her, supposedly because of her aura. But not every person sees her aura in the same light. How will everyone handle it? She's not exactly the most fantastic person they'll meet, either... But some people love her. Don't they? Don't be too sure!

Rating -Pg-13

Warnings –None

It was a bright, sunny, and happy day for Harry, Ron, and Hermione on September first. They were seated in the Great Hall and everyone was speaking and gossiping rather loudly, and some were screaming so their voices echoed off the walls. It was the Hogwarts Trio's sixth year, and they were surrounded by the following people: Parvati Patil, Lavender Brown, Neville Longbottom, Seamus Finnigan, and Dean Thomas. Ginny Weasley happened to be somewhere else down the Gryffindor house table that day. Harry, Ron, and Hermione weren't actually talking that much, but Ron was complaining about how hungry he was. He always was hungry on the first day of school especially.

"Ron, stop whining!" Hermione snapped harshly at him. "You're sixteen, there's no need to! It's not like you'll never be served."

Everything quieted down once Dumbledore tapped the side of his wine glass with his spoon and stood up, ordering silence. All the Hogwarts' students' heads turned to face him with his hands in the air in front of him.

"After a long, or if you want to call it short, summer, we are back again with a new start of term! I hope you all are very excited like I, so the year will start off with a, um, a bang! Yes, a bang," he smiled warmly, and everyone laughed. Dumbledore put his hands down. "And today we are having a very petite change for the start of a term. Students, I would like you to meet Meredith Mahogany, a new student who is about to begin her sixth year. She is a transferred student and once she walks through our grand doors, she will be sorted." Dumbledore gestured to the small stool sitting in front of the staff table, with Professor McGonagall standing to the left of it. This time she carried no scroll of parchment, because the first years had already been sorted out into their new houses.

"I would appreciate it if you all would be polite and considerate to Miss Mahogany, I'm sure she would enjoy that, too. She does not have the same pasts as most of you," Dumbledore glanced at Harry for about a second with a firm face, "so please treat her in the way you think is best. I hope you all make good choices."

And with that, there was silence for the next few minutes while talking filled the Great Hall again and ghosts floated around in various places. Out of nowhere, everything got quiet again and the doors of the Great Hall flew open, revealing a darker sky than before with quite a rainstorm. But several feet below the top of the doors stood a girl in her teens, looking around at all of the people who held slightly stunned faces. She was dragging her suitcase behind her and didn't look very brave or self-confident. But of course, no one could know just yet.

Nobody evened seemed to breathe as the redhead moved up to the Staff Table. Her hair was straight, dark red, and a few inches past her shoulders. It seemed thick and she had a small chunk of hair going to the right side, like bangs but just to the side. She seemed to wear a lot of makeup, and baggy clothes with a big, heavy-looking, black suitcase. She just stood there in front of all of the professors and didn't say a word. She might have been too embarrassed, shy, or just unwilling to talk for some reason.

Dumbledore beamed at her, along with McGonagall, Sprout, Pomphrey, and a few other kind enough professors. She looked up at them and didn't smile or show any emotion. Meredith just pushed her side bangs out of her eyes, waiting for instructions.

"Welcome, Meredith, could everyone please greet her kindly?" Dumbledore asked of all the students.

"Welcome, Meredith!" was chanted loudly throughout the hall. Meredith opened her mouth, turned around, and then turned back to Dumbledore without saying anything.

"Well, Meredith, could you please have a seat on the small stool there, next to Professor McGonagall?" Dumbledore questioned.

Her nod was slow and small, and even though she didn't know who McGonagall was yet, she walked over to the sorting stool while rolling her suitcase behind her. When she got to it she snapped the handle down the top of the suitcase and slowly plopped herself down onto the wooden stool.

"Now, if you just sit still, Professor McGonagall will place the Sorting Hat on your head and you will be sorted into your new Hogwarts house," Dumbledore informed her.

Meredith didn't say or do anything, but just sat there with her hands in her lap as McGonagall slowly lowered the Sorting Hat over her head. It stayed there for quite a while; during which several people were whispering to each other and Meredith was confused.

Meredith remained confused as the Sorting Hat stayed on her head for about another sixty seconds. It was obviously thinking because it hadn't even opened its mouth. After a few more seconds, the Sorting Hat started mumbling aloud.

"Hmm… great skill, yes, and very thoughtful. Wow, is this difficult. Intellect, bravery, cunningness, i and /i loyalty! All in one package! Where in the world do you belong? Well I guess I'll settle on…" the Sorting Hat stopped for nearly three or four seconds while no one breathed loud enough for Meredith or the staff to hear. The only person breathing loud enough for Meredith to hear was herself. Not even McGonagall or the closest professor.

"…SLYTHERIN!" it called out, and Meredith looked up to the ceiling as far as her eyes would go, raised her eyebrows, and stuck out her tongue downwards with her mouth open. Several students laughed. Meredith knew exactly what being in Slytherin meant, but she didn't mind, because the rest of her, well, used-to-be family was in that house too. A while ago. Her great-great-great-great-great grandparents. Meredith shrugged, stood up, and walked over to the Slytherin table, knowing the color and table automatically. She dragged her suitcase slowly behind her while people stared. Meredith minded people staring at her, so she stared at the floor, hoping that it didn't hate people staring at it, too.

When Meredith got to the Slytherin table, she parked her suitcase upright next to the wall and took a seat right across from Pansy Parkinson. Pansy smirked at her in a not-so-friendly fashion. But before Meredith could respond in any way, or even say her first word at Hogwarts, Dumbledore was speaking again and all of the students' heads snapped up to look at him.

Now that we are all settled, why don't we let the feast begin?" Dumbledore exclaimed, and food automatically filled all of the empty, white, glass plates at all four of the tables. Everyone started to go into deep conversation, and now only a small number of people were glancing over at Meredith.

"So, how do you think you got to be a Slytherin?" Pansy asked Meredith cruelly.

Meredith returned a rude look from Pansy and frowned. She looked down. Talking quietly, she talked to her hands which were in her lap, "I don't know."

Many people sitting near Meredith laughed at her and her words. Meredith did not care; she just looked at her nails and tried to rub clear nail polish off that her older sister had put on her over the summer. It still hadn't come off.

"You don't seem like a Slytherin!" Crabbe called from a few seats down.

Meredith raised her eyebrows and put her hands back in her lap. She leaned over and looked at Crabbe with a smile. "I really don't care," she assured him.

Meanwhile, Hermione, Ron, and Harry were discussing their own feelings and thoughts for and on Meredith.

"She doesn't seem too nice. She didn't say anything to Dumbledore. And she already knew where the Slytherin table was without looking up at the sign. I think she's odd," Hermione told Ron and Harry, who were across from her.

"Feef seez wude," Ron blurted out through a mouthful of mashed potatoes.

Hermione and Harry ignored this.

"She doesn't seem "rude" or "not too nice" or even "odd". I think she's normal. It's not like it HAS to be her fault that she was put in Slytherin. I don't think we should judge her yet," Harry confessed his ideas.

Hermione looked at him quizzically.

"Well, whatever it is, we'll sure know soon," she told him, watching Meredith at the Slytherin table. She had on a smirk and was talking loudly to Malfoy.


End file.
